Feathering paddle-wheel



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. JACOBS. FEATHERING PADDLE WHEEL.

No. 527,991. Patented 0ct. 23, l894.

1 s uomus PEYERS w. Mom-Luna.v WASNINUTON. a. c

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

Nd Model.)

J. JACOBS. FEATHERING PADDLE WHEEL.

N0. 527,991. Patented Oct} 23, 1894.1

UNITED STATES,

PATENT OFFIC JOSEPH JACOBS, OF NEVADA CITY, CALIFORNIA.

FEATHERING PADDLE-WHEEL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 527,991, dated October23, 1894 Application filed March 20,1894- To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOSEPH J names, a citizen ot the United States,residing at Nevada Oity,Nevada county,State of California, have inventedan Improvement in Propelling- Wheels; and I hereby declare the followingto be a full, clear, and exact description of the same. A

My invention relates to that class of propelling wheels in which thedriving blades are adapted to be successively turnedfrom the plane ofrotation of the wheel to a plane at right angles thereto.

My invention consists in the novel construction of the wheel, itspropelling blades and the means for operating them, which I shallhereinafter fully describe.

The general object of my invention is to provide a wheel of this classof simple construction and effective in operation.

Particular advantages will appear in the course of the followingdescription.

Referring to the accompanying drawings for a more complete explanationof my invention,-Figure 1 is an elevation of my propelling wheel. Fig. 2is a top or plan View. Fig. 3 is a front view of the cam track andguide, the wheel being shown in dotted lines. Fig. 4. is a verticalsection. Fig. 5 shows the skeleton frame of a propeller blade. Fig. 6 isan elevation of the propeller blade finished. Fig. 7 is a plan View ofone end of the cam G for turning the propelling blades.

The wheel A may be of any suitable construction consistent withlightness and strength. The best form of its construction consists of ametallic skeleton composed of a hub a, radial arms a, and a rim a.Between the arms are secured filling segments of wood a terminating justshort of the rim leaving open spaces. Then over both sides of the wheelare secured metallic plates a having the small openings at in theirouter edges, just within the rim. This makes a strong and.

light wheel with a smooth surface which offers the minimum resistance,and is capable of sustaining the pressure incident upon submerging thewhole wheel. To the rim a are secured the boxes B in which the shortshafts or short pivots c of the propelling blades 0 are mounted andadapted to turn. These pivots extend radially of the wheel, and theSerial N... 504,423. (No model.)

propelling blades comprise or constitute a series extending around theentire periphery of the wheel. They are of a general sector shape asshown, and the best form of their construction is that of a metallicskeleton, filled with wooden pieces 0 and covered on both faces withmetallic plates 0 thus presenting a smooth surface and-having the sameadvantages described in connection with the construction of the wheelitself. Upon each pivot 0 just below the rim a of the wheel is mounted across arm D extending at right angles to the length of the blade, andadapted to play through the openings 0. in the wheel sides, and to bewithdrawn therefrom and lie within and parallel thereto, in whichposition they practically close said openings thus re ducing further theresistance.

The wheel is mounted upon a shaft E to which motion is imparted by anysuitable means. This shaft is mounted upon any suitable frame-workrepresented by F. Upon one side of this fixed frame-work is a cam trackG in the form of an arc of acircle,and lying opposite about the lowerthirdof the wheel. The endsg of this tracklie in the path of the crossarms D of the pivots of the blades 0, when said blades lie in the planeof revolution of the wheel, so that as the wheel turns, the inner end ofthe cross arm will come in contact with the end g of the cam traok,andwill be turned thereby at: right angles to its first position, whichwill have the efi'ect of turning the driving blade to a plane at rightangles to a plane of revolution of the Wheel, and said blade will beheld in i this position by the travel and contact of its cross arm withtheface of the cam track during the'whole length of said track. Upon theside of the fixed frame are fixed cam blocks H, one on each side, andabout opposite the ends of the cam track G. These fixed cam blocks arepreferably faced with a cushion material, an'dthey lie in the path oftravel of the propelling blades. There is one of these on each side.

It will now be seen that in whichever direction the wheel may be turned,the first effect is that the cross arm D coming in contact with the endg of the cam track G, will turn the propelling blade at right angles tothe wheel, and said blade will continue in this IOO position until itreaohesrthe cam block II on the other side, whereupon coming in contactwith said block, it will be turned once more into the plane ofrevolution of the wheel. In this latter position it presents its edge tothe water and offers but slight resistance. In its former position, itpresents its face to the water and offers the maximum resistance,

This position of maximum resistance continues preferably through aboutone-third of the revolution of the wheel.

I is a fixed guide-plate, suitably cushioned or faced and against whichthe propelling blades, when in the plane of revolution of the Wheel,travel, whereby they are guided and held accurately in position. Thus,but about one-third of the blades of the Wheel present the drivingportion or square front, while the other two-thirds move in planes atright angles to the driving third, thus presenting their thin portion.By this action I overcome and avoid all lifting of water also allresisting drag or dead water.

In most instances, it is intended to entirely submerge the Wheel to thelowest portion of a ship or vessel, making it especially adapted forships of war as it is liable to be disabled only by the destruction ofthe vessel. When used for river boats, yachts, and small craft, it maybe only partly submerged.

This wheel, by reason of its general construction combining lightnesswith strength and the removal of all causes tendingto olfer resistance,and by reason of the positive and quick action of the means for turningthe driving'blades, is especially adapted for complete submergence, andis, therefore, particularly useful for tugs in towing boats on canals,and for the boats themselves, as the very slight disturbance of thewater caused by its operation results in preventing washing and wearingof the canal banks.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A propelling wheel having a series of driving blades adapted to beturned from the plane of rotation of the wheel to a plane at rightangles thereto and back again, the body of said wheel being composed ofa metallic skeleton, filled with wooden pieces, and having both facescovered with metallic plates whereby a light strong wheel with minimumresistance and adapted to be completely submerged is obtained,substantially as herein described.

2. A propelling wheel consisting of a body composed of a metallicskeleton filled with wooden pieces, leaving openings near the wheel rimand covered on each side by metallic plates formed with openings intheir outer edges, anda series of driving blades having radial shaftspivoted in the wheel rim and provided with cross arms adapted to beacted upon by fixed cams, to turn the blades into and out of action,said arms playing in and out through the openings in the wheel plates,

' substantially as herein described.

3. A propelling wheel consisting of a body composed of a metallicskeleton filled with wooden pieces leaving openings near the wheel rim,and covered on each side by metallic plates formed with openings intheir outer edges, a series of driving blades composed of metallicskeletons filled with wooden pieces and covered on each side withmetallic plates, radial shafts carrying said blades and mounted in thewheel rim, cross arms on said shafts playing in and out of the openingsin the sides of the wheels, the fixed cam track against the ends ofwhich the said arms come in contact and against the body of which saidarms travel whereby said blades are turned and held through a portion ofthe revolution of the wheel, and the fixed cam blocks adjacent to theends of the cam track and lying in the path of said blades wherebythrough contact therewith said blades are returned, the whole wheelbeing adapted to be completely submerged, substantially as hereindescribed.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

JOSEPH JACOBS.

Witnesses.

W. W. WAGGONER, B. S. RECTOR.

